Moistureless refrigeration device for mobile cooling container

ABSTRACT

A moistureless cooling device used in a mobile refrigerator is disclosed to include a thermal-insulation container having a storage chamber defined therein for storing low temperature substances and an opening in communication with the storage chamber and covered by a container cover, an air heat exchanger unit having a flow-guide conduit extending through and isolated from the storage chamber, and an air supply unit installed in one of the air inlet and air outlet of the flow-guide conduit for delivering outside air through the flow-guide conduit to transfer low temperature from the low temperature substances in the storage chamber of the thermal-insulation container to an enclosed space in the mobile refrigerator.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to refrigeration technology and moreparticularly to a moistureless refrigeration device for mobile coolingcontainer that utilizes ice cubes to generate cooling air.

(b) Description of the Prior Art

Regular mobile cooling containers or refrigerators commonly use a forcedair flow through ice cubes or cooling bags, thereby reducing thetemperature of the forced air flow to achieve a cooling effect withoutan electric compressor. FIG. 1 illustrates a refrigeration device formobile refrigerator according to the prior art. According to thisdesign, the refrigeration device comprises a container 10 holding aplurality of ice cubes 30, an electric fan 20 installed in an air inlet101 of the container 10 and operable to induce an air flow to flow fromthe air inlet 101 through the ice cubes 30 to the outside of thecontainer 10 via an air outlet 102. As the induced air flow flows overthe ice cubes 30 directly, it carries moisture from the ice cubes 30 andthe ice cubes 30 will melt quickly, lowering the refrigerationefficiency. Thus, the user needs to add a new supply of ice cubes 30regularly.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is the main object of the present invention to provide amoistureless cooling device, which enables a low temperature to betransferred from low temperature substances (e.g. ice cubes) in athermally insulated storage chamber to an intake flow of air passingthrough a flow-guide conduit so that the temperature of the intake flowof air can be greatly reduced for cooling application in a mobilerefrigerator or cooling container without carrying moisture.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, amoistureless cooling device for use in a mobile refrigerator comprises athermal-insulation container having a storage chamber defined thereinfor storing low temperature substances and an opening in communicationwith the storage chamber and covered by a container cover, an air heatexchanger unit having a flow-guide conduit extending through andisolated from the storage chamber, and an air supply unit installed inone of the air inlet and air outlet of the flow-guide conduit fordelivering outside air through the flow-guide conduit to transfer lowtemperature from the low temperature substances in the storage chamberof the thermal-insulation container to an enclosed space in the mobilerefrigerator.

Based on the structural design of the storage chamber of thethermal-insulation container and the air heat exchanger unit, the intakeflow of air does not absorb moisture when passing through the flow-guideconduit. Thus, the cooling air that flows out of the outlet of theflow-guide conduit does not absorb moisture from the low temperaturesubstances (e.g. ice cubes) and can achieve the desired moisturelessrefrigeration. Further, the storage chamber of the thermal-insulationcontainer is thermally insulated by a heat-insulation container wall. Asthe intake flow of air does not pass through or flow toward the icecubes directly and the storage chamber of the thermal-insulationcontainer is thermally insulated by the heat-insulation container wall,the ice cubes will not melt rapidly, i.e., the period of effectiverefrigeration is greatly prolonged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing illustrating the structure and operationprinciple of a refrigeration device according to the prior art.

FIG. 2 is a sectional elevation of a moistureless refrigeration devicefor mobile cooling container in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the moistureless refrigeration devicefor mobile cooling container in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing illustrating an operation status of themoistureless refrigeration device for mobile cooling container inaccordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the present invention, illustrating analternate form of the air heat exchanger unit.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of the present invention, illustratinganother alternate form of the air heat exchanger unit.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a sectional view of the present invention, illustrating stillanother alternate form of the air heat exchanger unit.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view of the present invention, illustrating stillanother alternate form of the air heat exchanger unit.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, a moistureless refrigeration device formobile cooling container in accordance with the present invention isshown. The moistureless cooling device comprises a thermal-insulationcontainer 1, an air heat exchanger unit 2, and an air supply unit 3. Thethermal-insulation container 1 can be made in a rectangular shape or inany of a variety of other shapes, comprising a storage chamber 11adapted for storing low temperature substances, a heat-insulationcontainer wall 12 surrounding the storage chamber 11, an opening 13 incommunication with the storage chamber 11, and a container cover 14covering the opening 13. The air heat exchanger unit 2 is a temperatureconduction structure adapted for transferring low temperature for heatexchange with hot air, comprising a metal flow-guide conduit 21 isolatedfrom the storage chamber 11, an air inlet 22 located on the outside ofthe thermal-insulation container 1 and kept in communication with oneend of the metal flow-guide conduit 21, and an air outlet 23 located onthe outside of the thermal-insulation container 1 and kept incommunication with the other end of the metal flow-guide conduit 21.Further, the metal flow-guide conduit 21 can be made having a circular,rectangular or any other cross-section. The air supply unit 3 can be anelectric fan or any other equivalent means installed in the air inlet 22or air outlet 23 of the heat exchanger unit 2 for delivering outside airthrough the metal flow-guide conduit 21 of the heat exchanger unit 2 (bysuction or blowing) to transfer low temperature from low-temperaturematerials stored in the storage chamber 11 of the thermal-insulationcontainer 1 to an external enclosed space outside the moisturelessrefrigeration device. The thermal-insulation container 1, the air heatexchanger unit 2 and the air supply unit 3 are assembled to form thedesired moistureless refrigeration device that works as the core coolingdevice of a mobile cooling container or refrigerator.

Referring to FIG. 4, when using the present invention, ice cubes 30,cooling bags or any other low-temperature materials can be stored in thestorage chamber 11 of the thermal-insulation container 1 and kept incontact with the air heat exchanger unit 2. Thus, low temperature can betransferred from the ice cubes (cooling bags or any otherlow-temperature materials) 30 to the metal flow-guide conduit 21 of theair heat exchanger unit 2. At the same time, the air supply unit 3 keepsdelivering outside air through the air inlet 22 of the air heatexchanger unit 2 into the metal flow-guide conduit 21 toward the airoutlet 23. When the external hot air touches the conduit wall of themetal flow-guide conduit 21, the hot air is converted into cold air bymeans of heat exchange and then guided out of the air outlet 23. For theadvantage of generating cooling air without an electric compressor, theinvention is practical for use in a mobile cooling container orrefrigerator. Further, the structural design of the storage chamber 11of the thermal-insulation container 1 and the air heat exchanger unit 2prevents the intake flow of hot air from passing through or flowingtoward the ice cubes (cooling bags or any other low-temperaturematerials) 30 directly, and therefore the cooling air thus produced doesnot absorb moisture from the ice cubes (cooling bags or any otherlow-temperature materials) 30 and can achieve the desired moisturelessrefrigeration. As the intake flow of hot air does not pass through orflow toward the ice cubes (cooling bags or any other low-temperaturematerials) 30 directly, the ice cubes (cooling bags or any otherlow-temperature materials) 30 will not melt rapidly, i.e., the period ofeffective refrigeration is prolonged without the need to add or replaceice cubes (cooling bags or any other low-temperature materials) 30frequently.

In order to enhance the low-temperature transfer and/or heat exchangeefficiency for lowering the temperature level of the produced coolingair, as shown in FIG. 5, the metal flow-guide conduit 21 of the air heatexchanger unit 2 can be made in the form of a coil conduit, providing adetour air passage between the air inlet 22 and the air outlet 23 toextend the time in which the intake flow of air passes through the metalflow-guide conduit 21. Thus, a relatively lower temperature of coolingair can be produced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a first thermal conductionstructure 24 may be mounted in the storage chamber 11 of thethermal-insulation container 1. The first thermal conduction structure24 comprises a plurality of radiation fins 241 extending from theperiphery of the metal flow-guide conduit 21 and suspending in thestorage chamber 11 to increase the contact surface area between themetal flow-guide conduit 21 and the ice cubes (cooling bags or any otherlow-temperature materials) 30, enhancing the low-temperature transferefficiency. Further, as shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, a second thermalconduction structure 25 may be installed inside the metal flow-guideconduit 21. The second thermal conduction structure 25 comprises aplurality of radiation fins 251 extending from the inside wall of themetal flow-guide conduit 21 in a parallel manner relative to theextending direction of the metal flow-guide conduit 21 to avoidinterference with the flow of air passing through the metal flow-guideconduit 21. Thus, the radiation fins 251 greatly increase the contactsurface area between the metal flow-guide conduit 21 and the intake flowof hot air. When the intake flow of hot air flows through the air inlet22 into the metal flow-guide conduit 21 toward the air outlet 23, theradiation fins 251 in the metal flow-guide conduit 21 enhance the heatexchange efficiency, causing the temperature of the air passingtherethrough to be rapidly reduced.

Further, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9, the second thermal conductionstructure 25 can be configured to comprise a plurality of thermalconduction tubes 252 arranged in the metal flow-guide conduit 21, eachhaving one or both of two opposing ends thereof kept in communicationwith the storage chamber 11 for receiving the supplied ice cubes(cooling bags or any other low-temperature materials) 30, enhancinglow-temperature transfer and/or heat exchange efficiency.

Further, as shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the second thermal conductionstructure 25 further comprises a plurality of radiation fins 253extending from the periphery of the thermal conduction tubes 252 andsuspending in the metal flow-guide conduit 21 to increase the contactsurface area between the metal flow-guide conduit 21 and the intake flowof hot air, thereby enhancing the heat exchange efficiency.

Further, the heat-insulation container wall 12 of the thermal-insulationcontainer 1 that surrounds the storage chamber 11 is a thermalinsulation structure having a thermal insulation foam layer 121 stuffedtherein, as shown in FIG. 3. The thermal insulation foam layer 121 ismade from a polymeric plastic material, for example, polystyrene foam.By means of the thermal insulation foam layer 121, the heat-insulationcontainer wall 12 prevents dissipation of the low temperature of thestored ice cubes (cooling bags or any other low-temperature materials)30, prolonging the refrigerating performance. Further, as shown in FIG.5, the heat-insulation container wall 12 can be configured having aninternal vacuum insulation space 122. By means of the internal vacuuminsulation space 122, the heat-insulation container wall 12 preventsdissipation of the low temperature of the stored ice cubes (cooling bagsor any other low-temperature materials) 30, prolonging the refrigeratingperformance.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A moistureless cooling device for a mobilerefrigerator, comprising: a thermal-insulation container comprising astorage chamber adapted for storing low temperature substances, aheat-insulation container wall surrounding said storage chamber, anopening in communication with said storage chamber, and a containercover covering said opening; an air heat exchanger unit comprising aflow-guide conduit extending through and isolated from said storagechamber, said flow-guide conduit having an air inlet and an air outletrespectively disposed outside said storage chamber of saidthermal-insulation container; and an air supply unit installed in one ofthe air inlet and air outlet of said flow-guide conduit of said heatexchanger unit for delivering outside air through said flow-guideconduit to transfer low temperature from the low temperature substancesstored in said storage chamber of said thermal-insulation container toan enclosed space in said mobile refrigerator.
 2. The moisturelesscooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow-guide conduit isa coil conduit defining therein a detour flow passage.
 3. Themoistureless cooling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said heatexchanger unit comprises a first thermal conduction structure in contactwith the metal flow-guide conduit and disposed in said storage chamberof said thermal-insulation container.
 4. The moistureless cooling deviceas claimed in claim 3, wherein said first thermal conduction structurecomprises a plurality of radiation fins extending from the periphery ofsaid flow-guide conduit and suspending in said storage chamber of saidthermal-insulation container.
 5. The moistureless cooling device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said heat exchanger unit comprises a secondthermal conduction structure disposed on the inner periphery of saidflow-guide conduit.
 6. The moistureless cooling device as claimed inclaim 5, wherein said second thermal conduction structure comprises aplurality of radiation fins extending from the inner peripheral wall ofsaid flow-guide conduit and suspending inside said flow-guide conduit.7. The moistureless cooling device as claimed in claim 5, wherein saidsecond thermal conduction structure further comprises at least onethermal conduction tube arranged in said flow-guide conduit, each saidthermal conduction tube having at least one of two opposite ends thereofkept in communication with said storage chamber for receiving thesupplied low temperature substances.
 8. The moistureless cooling deviceas claimed in claim 7, wherein said second thermal conduction structurefurther comprises a plurality of radiation fins extending from theperiphery of each said thermal conduction tube and suspending in saidflow-guide conduit.
 9. The moistureless cooling device as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said heat-insulation container wall of saidthermal-insulation container comprises a thermal insulation foam layerstuffed therein.
 10. The moistureless cooling device as claimed in claim1, wherein said heat-insulation container wall of saidthermal-insulation container has an internal vacuum insulation spacedefined therein.